A full, detailed and carefully comparative analysis of recent American 'ethnic' writing from an author with an unparalleled knowledge of his subject. Timely, wide-ranging and informative, this book covers the writing - in both fiction and autobiography - of Black, Native, Latino/a and Asian American authors including Ishmael Reed, Toni Morrison, Gerald Vizenor, Lesley Marmon Silko, Rudolfo Anaya, Sandra Cisneros, Maxine Hong Kingston and Jessica Hagedorn. Taking a cultural studies perspective, A. Robert Lee recognises the context of politics and popular culture and draws on the visual as well as the literary spectrum.
This is the first book of its kind - while there are books available which introduce one or other of the ethnic traditions, no one has yet considered them in comparative terms in a single volume. As such it will be an invaluable resource for all those with an interest in multicultural American literature.
Selling Points
- First single volume comparative analysis of recent American 'ethnic' writing
- Timely, wide-ranging and informative
- Covers both fiction and autobiography
Contents
1. Landmarks: Ellison, Momaday, Anaya, Kingston
2. A Different I: Autobiography, Autofiction, Autoethnicity
3. Afro-American: Styling a Contemporary Fiction
4. 'I Am Your Worst Nightmare: I Am An Indian With A Pen': Fictions of the Native, Native Fictions
5. Chicanismo, La Raza, Aztlan: Fictions of Memory
6. Eat A Bowl of Tea: Asian America, American Asia
7. Topographies: Indian Country, Asiatown, Barrio, Border and Black City
8. Life Cycles, Story Cycles
9. Island America: Hawaii, Puerto Rico, The Philippines, Cuba, The Dominican Republic, Haiti, New York
10. The Postmodern Turn: Playfield, Ventriloquy, Comedy
11. Epilogue: Fictions of Whiteness.